Thesis: M.C.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 2018. / This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. / Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 89-97). / In September 2017, two severe earthquakes hit Mexico, killing hundreds of people and destroying thousand of structures, including houses, schools, churches, and other buildings. As a consequence, 18,851 settlements were declared disaster areas (DOF. 2017); 96% of those settlements are rancherías -- rural settlements and smallest geo-political unit in Mexico (INEGI. 2010). Because they tend to be very poor, the Mexican federal government intervened to assist affected families by utilizing national savings to provide conditional cash transfers for self-building, with the aim of facilitating housing reconstruction. However, this federal program, like other development programs used by the Mexican government, uses a top-down approach that has been criticized as a one-size-fits-all-solution that does not address the overwhelming needs of those living in earthquake-affected rancherías. This thesis studies the Mexican post-earthquake house reconstruction program at national, state, ranchería and household levels, with the objective of (1) examining the post-earthquake housing development program implemented by the Mexican government, (2) analyzing how national reconstruction plans can be made more efficient at local level, and (3) making recommendations to increase program efficiency through the proposal of a new policy initiative. In order to understand the reconstruction process, I first studied the protocols deployed at national and state levels. I then visited families in the midst of their reconstruction process in three rancherías -- La Nopalera in Yautepec, Morelos; Acatzingo de la Piedra in Tenancingo, Estado de Mexico; and San Juan Tlacotompa in Ecatzingo, Estado de México. This fieldwork permitted discovering that reconstruction is being led by external agents that fail to understand rural needs, consequently imposing urban housing solutions on a rural setting, thereby creating financial, structural and health risks. At the same time, capacity building training is concentrated on these external, urban-oriented agents, leaving local communities with minimal involvement or training in reconstruction efforts. Based on these findings, this thesis provides recommendations on how to address the misdirection of reconstruction efforts and proposes the creation of a university network for Rural Risk Reduction, so as to decentralise the technical capacity, currently concentrated in Mexican cities, while integrating local knowledge regarding rural-specific needs. / by Akemi Sato Matsumoto Miranda. / M.C.P.

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2003. / "September 2003." / Includes bibliographical references (p. 99-101). / by Alex Ricardo Jiménez Cruz. / M.C.P.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-108). / by Mark Llewellyn Bixby. / M.S.

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies, 1983. / Bibliography: leaves 158-159. / by David Cymet Lerer. / M.C.P.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. Thesis. 1972. M.C.P. / Bibliography: leaves 213-217. / M.C.P.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. Thesis. 1971. M.C.P. / Bibliography: leaves 125-132. / M.C.P.

Thesis: M.C.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 2017. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 84-86). / The process of neoliberal globalization has long been touted for its success in increasing connectivity the world over. However, a closer look reveals that while capital has rendered many borders invisible and gained a new flexibility, those most devastated by the unending need for profit remain largely boxed in. Political organizing is often constrained by a sectoral focus and an emphasis on hyper-local conditions. As the roots of multiple oppressions become increasingly entangled, we must also break our resistance free from boundaries and globalize our social movements. In this project I depart from traditional social science methodology and use fictional storytelling to consider community impacts of neoliberal globalization. Synthetic case studies of three women of color protagonists from around the world urge readers to grapple with experiences of colonialism, race, gender, caste, class and sexuality, among others. The characters lives push readers to recognize the limitations to our current methods of political organizing and activism, and to imagining alternative possibilities and paths to liberation. / by Priya Johnson. / M.C.P.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 129-134). / by Ruijue Peng. / Ph.D.

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2011. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 142-148). / This thesis explores the relationship between urban planning and public art, and questions the efficacy of past and current models, whilst pushing us to develop new ones. It strives to glean the most salient issues universal to all instances of public art, and uses four case studies to illuminate such issues in practice. Tilted Arc by Richard Serra and Metronome by Jones and Ginzel adhere to a conventional model of public art - an object in a public space, commissioned by a small group of "experts," with an essentially passive role accorded to audience. The Gates and the work of artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles emphasize ephemerality, integration and participation. While vastly different from one another, the latter two also strive to engage more directly with urban planning and political processes. Tilted Arc is the watershed public artwork, and sets the stage upon which the other three case studies unfold. Within the context of New York City's neoliberal transformation, this thesis seeks to situate public art's role in the process, capping the story with The Gates in 2005. With modernist notions of public art losing relevance, this thesis argues that unrealistic expectations are still all-too-often placed on public art, using vestigial notions of the relationship between artist and audience. Simultaneously such outdated ideas undermine the potential for us as urban planners and public art producers to find new ways of working together in the service of cities that are "revitalized, cosmopolitan, just and democratic."' Instead this thesis argues that we deconstruct concepts of form, process, and audience/intention, and reconstitute new models for public art in our cities. Optimistically I argue that such thinking is already underway in cities like New York. It is fundamental that we consider how to refine and consolidate what is working for public art, and integrate such aspects into urban planning and policy from the outset. With both public art and urban planning at a crossroads, the potential exists to think and act boldly as we move forward. Professional silos need to be regularly challenged - collaboration will be the most important ingredient needed to redefine and shape the trajectory of public art in the 21st century. / by Samantha C. Earl. / M.C.P.

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 107-112). / by Andreas Siemers. / M.C.P.